Split Pea Soup

Mom's all-time favorite.


I remember something about a story about Uncle Darrell staying with them when they lived in Toronto, and Mom coming home after work to the aroma of Pea Soup filling the apartment - she could even smell it in the hall... She can barely tell the story without gagging. Oh well. It's a hit in our house - it's barely enough for our family so I'll soon be doubling it, and it's a great way to use up that last bit of Roast Fresh Ham that is clinging to the bone.

2 cups dried split green peas (I usually use yellow peas, but the green gives it such an authentic color!)
1 can of flakes of ham, with liquid, broken up; or 1 cup diced ham; or one ham bone with some meat left on it; or one smoked pork hock, approx. 1 1/2 lbs
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes (optional - I rarely have these on hand, but they do make it look prettier)
1 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder (I've also used beef)
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
5 cups water

Combine all ingredients in 3 1/2 qt. (or 6 qt.) slow cooker. Stir. Cover. Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours. If using ham bone, remove bone before serving and chop up remaining meat, adding to soup. The more ham, the better it is! Makes 7 3/4 cups.

~ Charmin

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is such a great recipe for feeding a crowd - you can't get much easier as far as preparation goes, and you can't get much yummier!

1 3-4 lb pork roast (I usually buy a shoulder blade roast)
Salt & pepper
Dinner rolls (soft, not crusty)
Butter for spreading
Sauce:
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
Salt to taste (I've never needed to add any)
Dinner rolls (soft, not crusty)
Butter for spreading

Put roast in slow cooker and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 - 5 hours until done. Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients and store in fridge until ready to serve.

When roast is done, remove to large bowl and using two forks shred the meat (this is the "pulled" part of the name) and return to slow cooker with juices from meat. Stir to combine. If you are not serving the sandwiches right away, set slow cooker to keep warm.

When ready to serve, slice rolls almost in half, spread with butter and load up with shredded meat. Pile sandwiches on a platter and set out with sauce (that way those who don't care for the sauce can still enjoy the yummy sandwiches). These are filling, so a salad is really all you need to make a great meal.

You can also use 3/8 cup balsamic vinegar in place of cider vinegar for a tangier, gorgeous brown sauce.

~ Charmin

Georgia Pound Cake

Makes 2 9x5 loaves! One for now, and one for the freezer.


This is a rather tedious recipe for this non-baker, but the results are so delicious it is worth it! (I don't have a stand mixer, so it's a mini workout for my arms to beat for 10 minutes with my hand mixer.)

1 1/2 cups butter
5 eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/3 cups backed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Allow butter, eggs and milk to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter with an electric stand mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add brown sugar and granulated sugar, beating about 10 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition and scraping bowl frequently. Add dry mixture and milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake in a 325° oven about 65 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.

~ Charmin

Kool-Aid Play Dough

I was given this recipe by a friend in Ontario and I love it. It's so easy, it smells good, and it doesn't matter if little ones eat it. Though I really can't imagine it tastes very good. ;)

1/2 Cup Salt
2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Pkgs Kool-Aid

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.
Add 2 Cups boiling water and 3 Tbsp of Oil.
Mix and knead as mixture cools. About 10 minutes.
(It will seem too sticky at first but keep kneading and it gets nice and smooth).
I keep mine in a freezer bag and it lasts quite a long time.

It's a cute gift to make some up for a child and then give the recipe on the tag or card. :)

~Shannon

Homemade Brownie Mix

This is a great brownie recipe! It's makes enough for about 8 square pans. Very convenient to have a bag of homemade brownie mix on hand when unexpected company calls. :)And just so you know, I always put chocolate chips in, I've never added nuts.
I have also wrapped the mix and chocolate chips up in a cute bag and given it as a little gift.


Brownie Mix
4 Cups Flour
6 Cups Sugar
3 Cups Cocoa
4 tsp Baking powder
3 tsp Salt
2 Cups Vegetable shortening

Combine and mix well flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender thoroughly cut in vegetable shortening. Store in airtight container in cool dry place (can freeze, but bring up to room temperature before making).
Yield: 16 brownies

To use mix:
2 Cups Homemade brownie mix
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Chopped nuts or Chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients; stir until moist. Spread in lightly greased 8' square pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until set in the center. Cut into 2" squares.

~Shannon

Rude Barb Muffins

No, they are really rhubarb muffins, but ever since I read through the Looneyspoons cookbook, that is what I think of. Jon just ate one and said it was the best rhubarb muffin I've ever made. Our rhubarb looks great this year, so expect lots of rhubarb recipes in the coming days!

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup soured milk*)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chopped rhubarb
butter & cinnamon sugar for top

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, whisk together first amount of sugar and oil; whisk in egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients in large bowl and stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon into muffin cups - the cups will be full. Bake in 350°F oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to rack, butter tops and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. (I keep a salt shaker filled with 1 c. of sugar to 1 tsp. cinnamon.)

*If you don't have buttermilk, you can make soured milk by putting 1 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice in a 1 cup measure and add milk to make 1 cup. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

~ Charmin

Isaac's Ketchup Chip Cheeseburger

Start with the best hamburgers in the world. In order to do this, you need ground beef from Meadowbrook Meat Market, and Jon to bbq them. When you put the patty on the bun, make sure you do it cheese-side-down so that you can still put the toppings on it without pulling the bun apart. Place three ketchup chips on top of the burger and add ketchup to the top bun. Carefully position top of bun over chips and push down hard. Enjoy!

~ Charmin

Eggsaronius

That's how Sarah spelled it. (She carefully labelled all the leftovers when she was cleaning up after supper. She's that kind of girl.) I spell it "Eggs Erroneous" and it is delicious on fish. I also enjoy it on my mashed potatoes. It used to be plain old egg gravy until we watched Ernest Goes to Camp. I think Eggs Erroneous tastes much better than plain old egg gravy. This recipe makes just over one cup of gravy, but you can easily double it if you need more.

2 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium heat in small saucepan. Mix in flour, then slowly add milk while stirring with whisk. Stir and heat until boiling and thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs and season to taste. Serve immediately.

(This isn't Mom's recipe - I just used my basic white sauce recipe and added the egg. Add as much egg as you like. For supper tonight I doubled everything, except that I used three eggs because we get our eggs from a friend whose chickens lay extra-huge eggs.)


~ Charmin

Grasshopper Brownies

This is a recipe I got from my sister-in-law, Amy. I'll be making in the next couple of days so I'll post a pic when I do so! It looks fun and yummy :) .

Bake 13x9 pan of Brownies (use own recipe or boxed mix)
Filling:
4 c. icing sugar
1 pkg cream cheese
1/4. c. margarine
3 T. milk
1/4 t. peppermint extract
1 t. vanilla
3 drops green food colouring

Mix well together and top COOL brownies.

Melt 1 c. chocolate chips and 2 T. Marg. Spread carefully over cream cheese mixture or swirl in if desired.

~Anne

Cinnamon Rolls

I can't believe no one has posted this yet! I know we all have the recipe, but a blog of our family recipes would never be complete without this one.

Mix 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup warm water and then add 1 tbsp yeast. Let rise 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, scald 1 1/2 cups milk.

Add the following ingredients to the milk and let the butter melt:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

Add yeast mixture to the milk mixture.

Gradually add 5 - 7 cups flour, kneading after each addition.

Let rise one hour. Divide dough in half. Roll into rectangle 1/4" thick and butter dough all over. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and slice into 1/2 - 3/4 inch slices and place cut side down in greased baking dish or pie plate. Let rise one hour.

Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks. When cool, pour glaze over them.

Glaze: Combine 2 cups icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and enough water to make runny icing in glass measure and pour over rolls.

I cut each dough half into 12 slices, to make four pie plates with 6 huge, mouth-watering rolls each.

~ Charmin

Roasted Potatoes

I peeled and cut the potatoes for "Herb-Roasted Potatoes Poupon", a Grey Poupon recipe, and then realized I was out of Dijon mustard. So I improvised, and everyone liked this version better than the original. Phew! Unfortunately, I didn't measure some of the ingredients, so this will be one of those figure-it-out-as-you-go recipes.

Potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks, enough to cover 15x10" (or 13x9") pan in single layer
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp mustard
1 clove of garlic, minced
a generous sprinkle each of parsley, thyme, oregano and marjoram

In large bowl, toss all ingredients together to coat potatoes well. Spread potatoes in single layer in lightly greased 15x10" pan (use a 13x9" if you don't have a jelly roll pan) and bake at 425°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. I used a stoneware pan and didn't have to stir it, but you might want to give it an occasional stir to make sure the potatoes aren't sticking.

Everyone loved this, and with four children sitting at the table that's quite an accomplishment!

~ Charmin

Apple Pie Muffins

This is one of my most favorite muffin recipes. I put half the recipe in a muffin tin and the other half in an 8x8 cake pan. Yummy!

1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
1 Cup Buttermilk (I use soured milk)
1 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Salt
2 Cups Diced peeled apples

Topping:
6 Tbsp Flour
1/4 Cup Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon

Mix wet & dry ingredients seperately and then stir together until just combined. Into mixture, add apples. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and top with topping.
Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. For a coffee cake bake about 5-8 minutes extra.
Makes 2 dozen muffins.

~Shannon

Pond Punch

I had decided on a fishing theme for Roddy's birthday cake, and wanted a blue punch to go along with it. I couldn't find a blue punch in my recipe books and didn't want to take the time to search any further so I decided to wing it. We all agreed that the results were most enjoyable. I had hoped to find some gummy fish to freeze in the ice cubes, but alas, there were none to be found (in Berwick, that is).

4 litres lemon-lime pop
1 pkg Ice Blue Kool Aid
1/2 can frozen lemonade
vanilla ice cream

Pour pop into punch bowl and mix in Kool Aid crystals. (They didn't want to dissolve for us, so we used a whisk.) Stir in the lemonade and add ice cubes. Add a few scoops of ice cream to the top, stir to make it foamy and serve.

~ Charmin

White Cake

Isn't that a creative name??

This is an old-fashioned, heavy but not dry cake. Delicious. Mom always says it is just like the birthday cakes her mom used to make. I like to make it into cupcakes, as you can see.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add milk, shortening and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds or until well blended, scraping side of bowl once. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Add egg whites; beat 2 minutes more, scraping bowl once. Grease and flour bottoms and sides of 2 (8-inch) round or square cake pans or 1 (13x9-inch) cake pan (or 24 muffin tins). Pour batter evenly into pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch round or square cakes or 35 to 40 minutes for 13x9-inch cake (or 20 - 25 minutes for cupcakes). Cakes are done when toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake layers from pans with knife or metal spatula. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Butter-Cream Frosting

1 16-ounce pkg icing sugar (about 3 cups?)
6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened (use butter - you'll be glad you did)
3 to 4 tbsp milk or half-and-half
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed (or with spoon), beat all ingredients until very smooth, adding more milk if necessary to make of good spreading consistency. Fills and frosts 2-layer cake; frosts 13x9" cake, tube cake, or 2 dozen cupcakes.

~ Charmin

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

The moistest (is that a word?), easiest chocolate cake you'll ever make.

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan (or 24 muffin tins).

In large mixer bowl, stir together sugar, flour, coca, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes.

Remove from mixer; stir in boiling water (batter may be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan (and 20 minutes for cupcakes) or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan if desired.)

One-Bowl Buttercream Frosting

6 tbsp butter or margarine (butter is best)
2 2/3 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

In bowl, beat butter. Add icing sugar and cocoa alternately with imlk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

~ Charmin

Berry Bundt Cake!

I got this "bund-t" recipe from a google search. I made it this morning for some company and, although I was the only one who ate it, I found it delicious!

5 Eggs
1 2/3 Cups Sugar
1 1/4 Cups Butter, at room temperature
2 Tbsp. Water
2 1/2 Cups Flour
3 Cups Mixed Berries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp. Baking Powder
Icing Sugar

Blend the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer.

Add the butter and water and beat until light and fluffy.

Toss the berries with 2 tablespoons of the flour to coat well.

Add the remaining flour and baking powder to the egg mixture and beat until the batter is smooth.

Fold in the berries and pour the batter into a greased and floured 9-in bundt or tube pan.

Bake in a preheated 325 oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan.

Allow to cool completely on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar immediately before serving.

Enjoy!

~Anne

Graham Cracker Squares

1 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
30 Graham crackers broken into quarter size pieces

In medium saucepan, whisk together egg and brown sugar.
Whisk in cocoa and vanilla.
Add shortnening and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Boil 1 minute. Immediately pour over graham wafers.
Put in 8x8 pan. Press down slightly to smooth top.

Icing:
1 Cup Icing Sugar
2 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
1 Tbsp Vanilla
Lump of Butter
1/4 tsp Salt

Mix with milk to make icing and spread over top of graham wafer mixture.
Put in fridge 1 hour or more to set.

* I must say it is very important to mix the egg with the sugar, cocoa and vanilla before heating!
I just made these today to have for our Awana closing at church tonight. I just know they'll be a hit! :)

~Shannon

Grammie Irene's Apple Pudding

Yum! Need I say more????

1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cup Flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
2/3 Cup Milk
2 Cup Apples, sliced
Mix and put in 2 Quart Casserole dish.

Mix and Pour over:
2 1/2 Cups Hot water
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter
2 tsp Vanilla

Bake at 350 for 50 -60 minutes.

There was a big cheer at our house when everyone found out this was baking in the oven for dessert tonight. :)

~Shannon

Coconut Squares

This is going to be our treat for the No-Training-Wheels-Party today. We've already sampled them just to be sure they would be okay. :)

1 Cup Flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Egg, beaten
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Beat well.
Pour into 8x10 pan.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

After baking spread the following mixture over top and bake again until brown:
1 Cup Coconut
3 Tbsp Butter, melted
3/4 Cup Brown sugar
2 Tbsp Milk

I always double this recipe and it always turns out great!

~Shannon